Media Statements: Statements

Brief Ministerial Statement

Arbouin, Shane — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:18:44 GMT

Content:

Mr Speaker

On 5 November the Liberal-National Government submitted a further round of proposals to Infrastructure Australia. The submissions have a strong focus on strengthening our regions and include transport upgrades, cities in the Pilbara, common use infrastructure to encourage private enterprise and improving the capacity of existing infrastructure.

While indicative total project costings have been provided, the Government sees each project funded through a combination of Infrastructure Australia, State Government and private industry funding.

The seven priorities identified are:

Gateway WA: A new airport is a priority for Western Australia. The consolidation of the Domestic and International Terminals will require an upgrade to the roads around the airport and will also provide an opportunity to create a more efficient and attractive entry to Perth city. Traffic around the airport is also being increased by rapid commercial development and freight movement in the Kewdale/Forrestfield area. This project was in our 2008 submission to Infrastructure Australia and is in the Infrastructure Australia Proposal Pipeline. It is now our number one priority at an estimated cost of $600 million with funding being sought to contribute to much needed upgrades to Tonkin Highway, Orrong Road and interchanges along Tonkin and Leach Highways.
Pilbara Cities: The Pilbara region accounts for 35% of the nation’s mineral and petroleum production and around 23% of its merchandise exports. The strategic importance of the area warrants investment to create vibrant, sustainable regional cities that can support and deliver a skilled workforce, while offering a high standard of living to local communities.

The Liberal-National Government has committed $300 million to a Pilbara Revitalisation Plan and is seeking Infrastructure Australia funding towards a total $471 million for urgent works for airport upgrades, wastewater services, serviced land and some accommodation.

Kimberley Supply Base: Inpex Corporation is conducting feasibility studies on the construction of a supply base at Port Torment near Derby. A supply base would support commercialisation of Browse Basin gas reserves by Inpex and others. It would include an appropriate port, port-related infrastructure and industry land. The construction phase of the project has an estimated total cost of $550 million.

The bulk of expenditure will be borne by the private sector with funding being sought for common use infrastructure.

Mid-West Energy: the Liberal-National Government has announced it will build a 330kv power line from Pinjar to Eneabba. Infrastructure Australia funding is sought for the second stage to Moonyoonooka. This will deliver reliable supply to Geraldton and Oakajee Port and industrial developments, allow renewable energy projects to feed into the grid and support the Square Kilometre Array project. This project has an estimated cost of $280 million.
Grain Freight Network: the Western Australian grain industry is a major exporter, with over half of the grain traditionally moved by rail. The Liberal National Government has been examining the needs of the network. Infrastructure Australia funding has been requested for two key components of the network:

Re-sleepering of the Avon to Albany rail; ($43 million) and
Upgrading Chester Pass road (a six-year program with a cost of $129 million)

Brunswick to Bunbury Port: With increased growth in industry, the single track South West rail line and port land side infrastructure is approaching capacity. This project looks to expanding the capacity of rail to facilitate the export of increased volumes through Bunbury Port by removing an existing bottleneck between Brunswick Junction and Bunbury. The cost of this project is estimated at $63 million.
Port Hedland Inner Harbour: the port at Port Hedland requires enhancements to cater for the increased capacity required by existing and new projects. The port specifically needs to have the channel widened and dredged to cater for more large ships. The estimated cost of this work is from $500 million to $1 billion much of which would be met by private port users over time.

The Infrastructure Australia Council will now review submissions. An updated list of national priority projects will be identified and further discussions will be entered into with proponents.

The projects in the Government’s submission will create jobs, attract private investment, enhance our competitive advantage and underpin Western Australia’s economic and social development beyond the short term.

Premier's office: 9222 9475

Date: 18/11/2009

Minister: Barnett

Portfolio: Premier

Region: All

Transcript - 720 ABC Mornings with Geoff Hutchison

Arbouin, Shane — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:04:59 GMT

Content:

GEOFF HUTCHISON

We’ve... calls this morning before our round of the V8 Supercars this weekend that that $5million upgrade of Barbagallo isn’t going to be enough to retain the event next year. I’d like you to just listen to what Tony Cochrane had to say.

COLIN BARNETT

Sure.

TONY COCHRANE (excerpt of interview)

Well we’re asking for a fair-dinkum, instead of, you know, this going on year after year after year, we’re asking... we... we need, from our point-of-view and for literally hundreds of thousands of fans in WA, because you look at our TV ratings over there, we’ve got a massive following, and you know, we... we are sick of being put in the position where literally a gun is held at our head, that ‘just keep coming back here, keep coming back here, things are going to get better, things are going to get better’. And quite frankly we’ve been coming there for, you know, many, many, many, many years now, so we’ve done our part, we’ve spent the millions of dollars coming there every year, and we want real certainty that the development’s going to take place and when it takes place that the pits and these paddock problems are really absolutely going to be resolved. We’re a bit sick of pie in the sky to be frank.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

Okay, can you provide that certainty this weekend because on Sunday afternoon they’ve told us if not, there’ll be press conference saying ‘see you later Perth’?

COLIN BARNETT

Well, can I say motor racing is an incredibly popular sport and I agree that the facilities aren’t what we’d what them to be, what they need to be. But we’re not going to be threatened, Geoff. There’s a lot of sporting needs around the State at the moment. You know, football is carrying on about Subiaco Oval. Demands for a rectangular stadium. Netball – very inadequate facilities, they need to be upgraded and so it goes on. But I...

GEOFF HUTCHISON

But we’re talking about a major… a major television event.

COLIN BARNETT

Yep.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

A tourist drawcard in the State that’s already lost the World Rally Championships.

COLIN BARNETT

Yeah I’m just making the point though, I’m just making the point we have good sporting facilities, but there’s a lot of rebuilding taking place. Now Terry Waldron has allocated $5million to improve the track and resurface it. And I know that doesn’t satisfy the needs of the V8 Supercars: I know that. The issue’s been raised about the safety in the pits area and while I don’t know personally the details of that, I can accept that. I think that is a serious problem and that’s something that Terry Waldron will have a look at. But look we’re not going to be able to somehow produce $60million or $70million to do what the V8 Supercars would want for next year. And you know they’ve had good support from the West Australian public, good support from Governments over the years, but it’s got to the stage, yeah, where were we need a major upgrade of the track. But...

GEOFF HUTCHISON

So it’s gone? It’s gone.

COLIN BARNETT

No well I don’t know Geoff. But I’m not going to be threatened by individual sporting groups. We’ve got money for hospitals and schools and everything else and I know it’s popular and it’s a sport that has not probably been looked after by Government over a long period of time to the extent it should have. But I can’t just pull $70million out of our schools or health budget and say, "There you go, there’s a new race track." I can’t do that.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

(Caller), good morning.

(CALLER)

Morning Geoff.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

I think you’ve got your answer, (caller).

(CALLER)

But we’re not going to get the stadium... we’re not going get the track upgraded.

COLIN BARNETT

Well, there’s $5million, (caller), that’s going to be spent on it and that includes track and lighting and the safety fencing. I would imagine Terry Waldron will have a discussion, particularly about the pits. I don’t know what’s involved in that, but if there is a public safety issue there then that would seem to be the highest priority right now. And I recognise we need a really top racing circuit in Western Australia and we haven’t got one. But I cannot produce $70million overnight or whatever the number is, it’s a big number: $40million or $50million.

(CALLER)

Premier, we lost the Heineken Classic to Melbourne after seven years of miserable support from your previous government and then we paid out more than what you put into the Heineken Classic over the entire period to get the Johnny Walker Classic. Are we going to be doing this again to try and get this back down the track when there’s some compromise somewhere along the way?

COLIN BARNETT

Look I would love to be able to say you know - of course I’d love to be able to come out and say now we’ll do whatever it does to keep the V8 Supercars for next year. I hope and I’m actually confident that we’ll be able to work with the V8 Supercars and progressively improve the facilities at Wanneroo, so that they can stay and we can have that and maybe other racing events that I’ve heard some of the callers talk about this morning. I’d love to see that. I’ve got to say I’m not particularly involved or haven’t been a fan of motorsports, but I realise that it’s a very, very popular sport... particularly in Western Australia.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

You’d love to see it.... Premier you say you’d love to see it and we know it’s very popular and we would like to continue to offer support, but it will all be too late...

COLIN BARNETT

...Well...

GEOFF HUTCHISON

...it will go. And you must surely know that that doesn’t sound like an idle threat. That’s them saying, look we’ve been asking for years... governments... previous government too, has not been forthcoming. I’m sorry, but we’re going.

COLIN BARNETT

Yeah, but the people of Western Australia are not going to be threatened Geoff and that’s just not going to happen.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

Would you spend $3million to get Tiger Woods to play golf here?

COLIN BARNETT

Ah, that worked pretty well for Victoria, didn’t it.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

Would you do it?

COLIN BARNETT

Ah, I think if you could demonstrate clearly that... a particular event would... draw a huge crowd and make money, and that sponsorship has paid off in spades for Victoria... and indeed, you know, there might be a slight chance we do get Tiger Woods here one day.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

Okay, calls… [gives talkback number]… Troy Buswell’s going to reveal the proposed boundary for the expanded tourism precinct this morning and the Opposition says it’ll support your push for Sunday and extended weeknight trading in Joondalup. Are they coming around? Is there are shared view developing here?

COLIN BARNETT

I don’t believe so. The Government... announced almost six months ago that we would proceed with a tourist precinct status for Joondalup, so we are doing that. I would expect that would be supported. The main issue is to have across-the-board weeknight trading for all consumers in Perth, all retailers in Perth, if they wish to shop or wish to open and that is the issue. What we’re doing by progressively extending it here and there is very much a second best answer. And look, I wrote to Eric Ripper saying our preferred position is nine o’clock weeknights in Perth... I said we’d accept eight o’clock. I haven’t even had a reply... haven’t even had a reply.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

Can you tell us what boundaries will be spoken of later this morning?

COLIN BARNETT

Look... first the area... its broadly expanded, basically a ring around Perth extending both north and south of the river. And it substantially increases the area, but it basically is the inner-city area and it’s the area that includes most of the major sort of entertainment...

GEOFF HUTCHISON

... North Perth, South Perth, East Perth, Subiaco... Mount Lawley.

COLIN BARNETT

...sporting venues... yeah... yeah, so it picks up the sporting... entertainment venues, Burswood; areas where people go and the inner-city area, where there’s a lot of restaurants, clubs, hotels... so... it’s good.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

... East Vic Park, Vic Park as well... So does that mean, with that announcement, that you are... are you completely confident that from January the 1st, those extended trading hours, in those places will exist.

COLIN BARNETT

Yes, unless there is some... unless someone can find some way of circumvented that. I can’t think how they can.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

Is Brendon Grylls trying to circumvent it, do you know?

COLIN BARNETT

Not to my knowledge...

GEOFF HUTCHISON

...Would he tell you?

COLIN BARNETT

...Oh look... I don’t think... I think Brendon’s more interested in country issues and developing the State and he’s doing a great job at that... So we intend to bring in the regulations, Troy will put the map out into the public arena today. I think people will look at it... it’s been discussed with local mayors... sensible and... it’s a small step, but an important step, towards some more deregulation. But it’s not what we’re really after. We want to see everyone have the right to do some weeknight shopping in Perth.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

Let’s go to your calls.

(Caller), good morning… [greetings not transcribed]

(CALLER)

You would be aware Premier that... of the deaths of the Swan River dolphins... six dead dolphins that came to light recently, and you would probably be aware as well that the... the... Fremantle dredging program that’s... that’s supposed to start in January will substantially add to the toxic contaminants in the river... and... also as the Member of Cottesloe you would probably be aware that the Town of Cottesloe has organised a public forum recently about... toxic contamination from the dredging.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

What would you like from the Premier, (caller)?

(CALLER)

Yes, I would like to ask the Premier whether he would consider asking the EPA to review its assessment of the dredging program in the light of this new information that’s come to light in... terms of the deaths of the dolphins.

COLIN BARNETT

(Caller), look I think... everyone is concerned about the death of these six dolphins. They did have high levels of various contaminants in their body, but that doesn’t seem to be necessarily the sole cause and there have been other deaths of dolphins, as you’re probably aware, Gippsland and other parts of Australia. What’s going on there, I don’t think anyone’s quite sure. There have been a lot of measures taken in the agricultural area to reduce the... flow of phosphates and other fertilisers into the river system, but there’s still a job to be done there. With respect to the dredging in Fremantle Harbour, no I won’t be doing that. The EPA has assessed that... I have had a briefing with the Port Authority on what they’re going to do. They did this in the late 1980s... it caused minimum disturbance... if there is any...

GEOFF HUTCHISON

You’re not worried about plumes of... of... dirty muddied water on Cottesloe Beach and so on?

COLIN BARNETT

No... basically it’s sand and crushed up limestone... and yes, there might be some contaminant that’s deposited on the seabed and it’s disturbed. I saw the photographs of the dredging that took place in the late ‘80s. This is the same operation, the plume extended perhaps 200-300 metres at the most... if there are situations in which the plume is likely to extend because of weather or current... the current flow then they’ll simply cease. I don’t believe that there’ll be any sign at all of any damage or contamination along the Cottesloe Beach. Cottesloe is simply too far away from the dredging operation.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

(Caller), thanks for your call.

Good morning (caller)…. [caller cut off due to bad phone line]…

I want to ask you... Jack Sue passed away this week. Any State arrangements to be made for his funeral, per chance?

COLIN BARNETT

No, Jack Sue... if you’re suggesting would he have a State funeral, no, that wouldn’t be normally the case. But a very distinguished... Australian, a true war hero. I had the pleasure of meeting Jack Sue a few years ago and he told me some of the... antics and the... you know, what they did in the war. Look, I think just a great Australian and... I know many people will be sorry to see him gone, but sympathies to his family and what a great fella, fantastic person.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

On what basis do you make those decisions? On what basis does Government decided?

COLIN BARNETT

Well no... no-one has, to my knowledge...

GEOFF HUTCHISON

...it’s requests sometimes?

COLIN BARNETT

No... to my knowledge no-one has made an approach for a State funeral. State funerals are usually limited... as to who would... they would apply to. They’re very rare.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

Okay. We spoke to Robin Chapple this morning. His euthanasia legislation sort of begins its process. He says, “it will allow suffering terminally ill people to end their life in a highly controlled, regulated but pain-free and dignified manner.” Will you, as he has asked, allow the legislation to be debated on the floor of the Parliament? I think that is his concern, that various things will happen to deny that opportunity.

COLIN BARNETT

No, he’s a Member of Parliament, and... there are opportunities in Parliament for any member to raise an issue. So he’s just got to find time in the Parliamentary week, he’s in the Upper House. I would expect he’d get the opportunity to debate that. It will probably depend on the co-operation, not so much of the Government, but of the Opposition members, the Labor Party. If they’re willing to give some of what’s called Private Members Time to him, for him to raise it.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

Is there the appetite in the West Australian Parliament to debate this publicly?

COLIN BARNETT

Oh, I don’t think there’s any lack of appetite... but...

GEOFF HUTCHISON

...you don’t reckon?

COLIN BARNETT

No, look I don’t think anyone fears debating the issue, but I... as I said before Geoff, I do not believe this legislation will get passed.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

On what grounds?

COLIN BARNETT

Because I don't think there's enough Members of Parliament who would agree with it.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

Are they scared of the church response, that says: "Don't you…"

COLIN BARNETT

No, I don't… I don't…

GEOFF HUTCHISON

"… don't you make that decision"?

COLIN BARNETT

No, I just don't think they'd agree with it.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

So, how are they representative of the broader community? If we are being told, and admittedly… you know: what is a poll? We're being told that polls are saying that people do have an appetite for it: 60 per cent, 70 per cent.

COLIN BARNETT

Well…

GEOFF HUTCHISON

Why isn't that being reflected in Parliament?

COLIN BARNETT

Well, I… I… I don't actually believe that is community attitude, and I know people will probably start ringing in straight away disagreeing. Look, the Living Wills Legislation that came in, which allows people to basically pass away in dignity and refuse, you know, life support systems and so on, that went through Parliament. That was seen as… as sensible reform and had broad support. But a… a wider approach to euthanasia is something I would not support and I don't believe the majority of Members of Parliament – on both sides of the house – would support.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

"Could I please ask the Premier, re: Northbridge police laws? We live in a democracy which should mean we have nothing to prove. Why the step to a police state?" Now, that's (caller)'s question.

But there was a really good letter in the paper today too, from (writer), who said: "A 12-year-old is charged with receiving a stolen Freddo frog. Does this mean that with the new stop-and-search laws, we would all be wise to carry a receipt for our sweets?"

He's being funny, but his point is a good one. Do you have a sense that there is a growing concern about stop-and-search?

COLIN BARNETT

Ah, look, I think the stop-and-search powers do go a long way. It's… it's as far as I would go in terms of a… of a tough law and order stance. But, again, can I make the point, Geoff: these powers will only be used in specified areas at specified times. An average person walking down the street is not going to be stopped and searched. But the police will have the power, as they've got now, to do that but they'll… they will obviously stop and search those people who they think may be carrying weapons or drugs. Now the point is that that won't be able to be used as some sort of defence in the court and that's the difference. So you know, you’re not going to expect elderly citizens walking down the street in Northbridge to be stopped and searched, unless the police have got some reason. Now they don’t have to have a reason, but just common sense says they’ll have a natural suspicion ‘those kids look like they might be in a gang....

GEOFF HUTCHISON

Sure....

COLIN BARNETT

... they might well be carrying knives’.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

But it’s a curious question about targeting and Premier if I have you a Freddo frog and you accepted it and then I told you that I’d stolen it, you wouldn’t expect to appear before a court either, would you?

COLIN BARNETT

No but look this young kid in Northam, who’s probably got a whole lot of complex factors and difficult factors...

GEOFF HUTCHISON

We understand that.

COLIN BARNETT

... in his life, he is well known to police. We are not talking about a little angel here.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

No.. no.

COLIN BARNETT

We are not. And so the Freddo...

GEOFF HUTCHISON

But why was he kept in a... now the police have come out and said you know, quite openly I think, this was a mistake. Now not taking away the difficulties of their task, but that was a kid that was held in a cell for being in receipt of a stolen Freddo frog. Now that story went around the world. Were you comfortable to see that headline?

COLIN BARNETT

No, not entirely because it... it lent itself to the sort of publicity it invariably got. And you know- ‘kid steals Freddo frog’, but the reality is while that was probably a reaction the reality is this kid has got a lot of association. There’s been a whole lot of issues, shopkeepers and the like, maybe the police were making a bit of a statement to him that you can’t carry on. Now probably an overreaction and the fact that it’s a Freddo frog holds the sort of whole police system up to ridicule. That was the unfortunate part. But look, you know what would police do? Not deal with some of these kids that are and I’m not talking about this particular boy, that are routinely stealing, damaging property, you know, antisocial behaviour. The police have to show some authority and exert some discipline and that’s what they’re doing.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

If you going to have a crack at him, if you’re going to brush him up against the law in a way that might prevent him from doing this in the future, you’ve got to choose cases carefully though, don’t you?

COLIN BARNETT

Well yeah...

GEOFF HUTCHISON

Not receiving a stolen chocolate bar.

COLIN BARNETT

Well, that was perhaps the instant they used to try and pull this kid into line. A kid that had been causing a fair bit of trouble around Northam.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

On the subject of choosing appropriate cases and right words, have you spoken to Peter Abetz in the last few days?

COLIN BARNETT

Yes I have spoken to Peter… well Peter spoke to me. And look I um... I think it was very, very... ungracious of a few Members of Parliament to attack Peter over that issue. If you look at what or listen… read what Peter said... totally reasonable. He simply relayed an account of where he enquired about his mother, who was a teenager in the Nazi era as to what happened.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

But did you have a quiet word to him that said, ‘I know what you were trying to say’. He made several attempts to explain it to the satisfaction of some, not to the satisfaction of others. Would you just have a word in his ear that says don’t mention the war, because it doesn’t work very often when you do?

COLIN BARNETT

In the Liberal party-room yesterday I somewhat flippantly said to Peter, ‘I guess the moral of the story is don’t talk about, don’t mention the war’. But look, no, I wouldn’t. What sort of a society would we be if Members of Parliament had to be so sanitised that they can’t relate experiences in their life. And I’ll tell you what was insulting, what the really serious issue which the media - I’ve got to say – missed, were Labor Members of Parliament doing Nazi...

GEOFF HUTCHISON

Having a cheap shot at him.

COLIN BARNETT

Doing Nazi salutes and that sort of behaviour in the chamber. I thought that was disgraceful and I thought that was very cruel to Peter Abetz and his family.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

(Caller), good morning.

(CALLER)

Ah... yes, good morning. This is regards access to the airport problems with parking and they’ve been talking about light rail. There is infrastructure with a line running from the Midland line through to the Forrestfield and Kewdale marshalling yards and it cuts across the airport land just near Kalamunda Road. Why can’t a spur line be created off of that, with no road crossings, no bridges, just extra line and a platform at the airport?

COLIN BARNETT

Ahh well look... sorry I didn’t get your name.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

(Caller).

COLIN BARNETT

(Caller), sorry (caller). I guess anything’s possible. Um... I think that the most immediate task for the airport is to accelerate the move of the airport operations out to that central area where the international terminal is. And a big part of that is to fix up all the road accesses, so that we actually have a dedicated… road with minimum or not interruptions, no traffic signs or signals or intersections, so you can actually go directly from the city to the airport. And that’s very expensive, several hundred million dollars. That’s something that the State and the Commonwealth are looking at now under the Infrastructure Australia funding. We’ll try and make sure we’ve got a proper and decent and attractive entry to the city from the airport, which we don’t have. It’s embarrassing what we’ve got at the moment. As to the use of the rail or light rail, I guess you’ve got to pose the question, would a city the size of Perth really allow that to work? I know it sounds a good idea and if you’ve got an airport like Heathrow outside of London yes large numbers of people do use the rail service. I don’t think Perth yet is of the size where people will do that. And you’ve got to ask yourself the question, will you actually get with your luggage into Perth and get on a rail to go to the airport or will you drive your car and park? I think most people will use their car.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

(Caller) and (caller) we’ll get to you in just a moment.

We’ve had a clarification from police on the chocolate bar boy. They say he was processed quickly, he was later detained for six hours because he failed to appear in court on the charges and the Magistrate issued a bench warrant for his arrest. Which if you take it back to the nature of the charge makes it seem even more baffling to me.

COLIN BARNETT

Oh..

GEOFF HUTCHISON

(Caller) good morning to you.

(CALLER)

Hi. I’d just like to talk about the extended trading hours. I’m pretty sure we’ve had referendums on this before and we’ve all voted no, but like daylight saving we don’t get listened to. I’m just worried it’s going to affect small business. Just recently Coles was known to be one of the most expensive… shops in the world. I think it will add to this. Also if people want to go shopping there’s plenty of markets around. If you want to get some milk go down to the local service station or the local deli. I just think we’ve said no, can it be no?

GEOFF HUTCHISON

(Caller) thank you.

COLIN BARNETT

Well (caller)... all I can say to you, with the greatest respect, if you don’t want to go shopping weeknight, don’t. But there are lots of people out there who do and I think they are entitled to shop when they wish to.

(CALLER)

The referendum said no, so why can’t you listen to that?

COLIN BARNETT

Well the referendum was I think a complete waste of public money. It was a question that made no sense, if people has been asked straight out do you want weeknight shopping, yes or no, you might have got a sensible or you’ve have got a clear answer. What the question... the question was, do you think it’s in the interest of Western Australia? I mean it was just the most vague question, deliberately done so to confuse voters and to get a non result. But look I... you know we’re talking about modest change and it’s up to you. You know if you don’t want to shop (caller), that’s your right. If a shop keeper doesn’t want to open, that’s his right and we would be placing into law laws to ensure the small business can not in any way be disadvantaged. It’s just simply choice.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

Good morning (caller).

(CALLER)

Good morning. I’d just like to say because I am a youth voter, I’m only 21, I think it would be in the best interests of both the State and your Government, Mr Premier, to push forward the funding for the raceway. I believe it would help with tourism. And just thinking with what’s slowly getting a large youth vote, in the next few years, that’s a lot of support that you would get if you would be the Premier that saves racing in Western Australian instead of letting it collapse.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

Now there’s an idea, that would be a happy spin, Premier.

COLIN BARNETT

(Caller) please don’t misunderstand me, I fully realise the popularity of racing, of motorsports. It’s very strong over here and I would love to be able to say today, ‘yes we will do what’s required to make sure we’ve got a world class track for V8 supercars and other events.’ Terry Waldron’s meeting with that group over the weekend, he’s going out to watch the V8 Supercars. We want to do that, but I just simply cannot say there’s the $40 or $50million. We’ve just got to make choices in Government, and that’s not an excuse, but you know, most of the listeners out there would agree with the decision we’ve made to bring forward the new Children’s Hospital. We desperately need that. Now, sporting facilities are being build around the State and are being improved. And we will get to the raceway as we will get to the next netball centre and as we’ll get to a rectangular stadium and ultimately a new AFL stadium. We’ll get all of those done but they’ve just got to be sort of be in the queue and happen one by one.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

We thank you for that. Let’s talk to (caller) about that new Children’s Hospital.

(CALLER)

Yeah Mr Premier, before you were elected you promised the new hospital was either going to be built by 2013 or started by 2013. I was reading a couple of weeks ago it’s now not until 2014.

COLIN BARNETT

Yeah don’t believe everything you see in the paper.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

Why don’t you tell us then?

COLIN BARNETT

We are working on that now, (caller)( and what I said is our objective would be to have a new children’s hospital under construction by the time of the following election, that’s what we’re aiming to do. There are a whole lot of practical issues - as there always are. One of them is the amount of parking on the Queen Elizabeth II site. So we may well have to start off by building a multi-storey parking facility to actually create the space to build the children's hospital. But Kim Hames and a whole group are working flat out on trying to put all that together so that we can do that and we can bring forward that new hospital. It'll be an expensive project, probably $700million or $800million, but we desperate new… need a new children's hospital.

(CALLER)

And, so that's definitely 2013, not 2014 as I read a couple of weeks ago?

COLIN BARNETT

Ah, well, look… there's no… there's no absolute date now. But the objective is, and… and we're… we're going... doing everything can to keep to that, is to have it under construction by the time of the next election. So, you know, it's not going to be a case… you know, Fiona Stanley was talked about for eight years, it's only just started construction. We're going to get on with this, but there's a lot of planning, design, and we'd probably have to – as I said – build a parking station first before we can… we've got the land to build the hospital.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

Premier, before we finish up: Are you in control of the challenges facing this Government? Do you know clearly the priorities that you want to push and what people listening want to see you do?

COLIN BARNETT

I hope so, Geoff. We have been a Government that makes decisions. Sometimes we've made wrong decisions and I think we've been big enough to acknowledge that and correct that. We are steering the West Australian economy through what's been a very difficult international financial situation. Despite the critics, we're maintaining budget surpluses, albeit small ones. We are bring on huge projects around the State, and… we are delivering on… on our social agenda: things like free transport for seniors; a huge increase in funding for disability; country health. We are doing what we set out to do. Maybe we need to tell the story of what we're doing a little bit better.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

No, don't employ any more consultants…

COLIN BARNETT

No…

GEOFF HUTCHISON

… to tell the story on how you're doing any better.

COLIN BARNETT

No, no. Just… just… me, you know… I think, you know… look, for example, people… you know… I doubt your listeners could say what we've done on the environment. We… you know, we… we are probably not getting the recognition for what we're doing. But I think we are a Government that is getting on with the job and there are heaps… heaps more things to do.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

And no more consultants? Because you are… you are really clever. Last week I heard… when someone said, you know, $14million worth of consultants, and you said: "We really are trying to bring that down." In actual fact the money and the amount of consultants had gone up. So…

COLIN BARNETT

Ah… it had.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

… you're… you're saying the arrow is pointing south, when it was pointing north the whole time.

COLIN BARNETT

Yeah, but bear in mind that's…there's figures for a year back, which go back to the time of the previous government. Ah, now we… we have employed quite a significant number of consultants, when we made some early policy changes, but we have brought down advertising. You are not seeing on television and on the radio all those advertisements of a government saying, you know: "We're doing a great job on law and order."

GEOFF HUTCHISON

You've just told… you've just told me: "We're not getting our message out well enough." So…

COLIN BARNETT

No, but… what I was… no…

GEOFF HUTCHISON

… so if you get… want to get your message out, you're going to start spending that money.

COLIN BARNETT

No, no… we won't do that, Geoff. You will not see a government I lead wasting taxpayer's money on advertising saying how good we are. What I'm saying is: "Members of Parliament, Ministers and the broader media – I guess the free-to-air media – we probably need to tell the story of what's happening in our various areas of responsibility better, and… and… so the community knows. I mean, talkback radio is great for that because you get questions on all sorts of issues, and it gives me the chance to say…

GEOFF HUTCHISON

But there's talking, and there's doing, and… and…

COLIN BARNETT

And this is a doing government, Geoff. This… this… there has… this State has never had a government that has done as much in this last year as we have done.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

We haven't got time for me to take issue with some of those things.

COLIN BARNETT

Well, I… I think it's absolutely black-and-white. No government has achieved what we've done in a difficult time over the last 12-months. That's the record.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

Thank you for talking to me this morning.

COLIN BARNETT

Thank you, Geoff.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

Colin Barnett is the Premier of Western Australia.

Ends…

Date: 18/11/2009

Minister: Barnett

Portfolio: Premier

Region: All

Media response - Geraldton Port

Arbouin, Shane — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:12:21 GMT

Content:

Questions asked by: Geraldton Guardian

Subject: Geraldton Port

Question 1:

I understand Mr Barnett said more than 12 million tonnes per annum must be shipped through the Port of Geraldton to accommodate the iron ore industry here. Does this mean the cap will be removed or the limit will be raised?

Why does the Premier now think more than 12 million tonnes must pass through Geraldton when he only proposed this cap this year?

Premier's response:

Currently, there is plenty of capacity at Geraldton Port with exports totalling just 4.1 million tonnes in 2008 – 2009.

Karara Mining Limited’s iron ore project, with a target of 8 – 10 MTPA by 2011, will stretch Geraldton Port’s capacity but once Oakajee, planned to open by 2014, is operating, I expect this ore will be railed to the new port.

However, the Extension Hill Pty Ltd project which is yet to receive Federal Government approval, is seeking similar capacity for its Stage 1 production, scheduled to begin as early as 2012.

To protect investment in further infrastructure, transitional arrangements will be negotiated between Extension Hill, Geraldton Port, Oakajee Port and Rail (OP&R) and the State Government.

This may mean volumes through Geraldton Port exceed 12 MTPA on a short term basis.

Iron ore produced in stage 2 of the Extension Hill project will be railed directly to Oakajee.

Question 2:

Has the Premier come under pressure from mining companies that wanted the cap removed?

Premier's response:

No, the State Government has moved to ensure the Mid West’s iron ore industry continues to grow, while a new deepwater port at Oakajee is developed.

Question 3:

What effect, if any, will removing the cap or raising the cap limit have on the Oakajee port?

Premier's response:

The State Government is taking a flexible approach so that both iron ore projects can get started, while progressing towards the $4billion Oakajee port, rail and industrial estate development.

This will ensure that the Mid West and WA benefit both from the employment and business these projects will generate as well as from massive impact of the Oakajee Port project.

The State Government has negotiated a Development Agreement for the project with OP&R and jointly with the Federal Government has committed to funding common use facilities at the port worth $680 million.

Currently, OP&R is working towards completing a bankable feasibility study by March 2010, and the State Government and OP&R are negotiating an Implementation Agreement that will detail terms and conditions for the development of port and rail infrastructure.

Oakajee will be a multi–user, deep water port, capable of handling Cape class bulk carriers and linked by rail to the rich and diverse mineral fields of the Murchison and Northern Goldfields.

Premier's office: 9222 9475

Date: 13/11/2009

Minister: Barnett

Portfolio: Premier

Region: Mid West

Transcript - 6PR Mornings with Simon Beaumont

Arbouin, Shane — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 05:58:18 GMT

Content:

SIMON BEAUMONT

The Premier of Western Australia, Colin Barnett, joins us in the studio this morning.

[greetings not transcribed]

You have your… your… your suit on today and you have a poppy on your lapel. Remembrance Day: you have some official functions today?

COLIN BARNETT

Ah, well, there's the service at Kings Park War Memorial at 11 o'clock on, you know, the 11th on the 11th. And, look, it's an important day and it's I think heartening for all of Australia that events like Anzac Day and Remembrance Day are growing – more people participating, particularly young people – and I think there's a… a very strong recognition and understanding amongst young Australians that the people who lost their lives and served in the… in the wars and in Vietnam were basically young people their age. So, I think it's… it's heartening. I know for people who lost family members or who served in the wars, they appreciate the fact that the community is respecting their service and particularly their mates who… who lost their life.

SIMON BEAUMONT

But, you… you're right. Anzac Day and Remembrance Day are huge events right through the community and for young people as well. But sometimes you worry about what's happening on the other days of the year, don't you? You worry about a lack of respect for our community that we see from a minority of people.

COLIN BARNETT

Unfortunately that's the case and that lack of respect, anti-social behaviour, violent behaviour is an unfortunate part of our community. As a government, we are trying to set a standard – a better standard – and we are acting in particular areas, like Northbridge, which I know has been controversial. A lot of points of view about that. But we do need to clean up areas and make it safe for people to go.

We're also bringing in some very strong legislation. For example, last night Parliament sat 'til about 12.30 debating and ultimately passing in the Lower House arson legislation which very substantially increases the penalties for people who light fires deliberately. And if you light a fire and it actually leads to someone losing their life then you can get a, you know, a life imprisonment, and that's in part a consequence of the tragedies in Victoria last year.

SIMON BEAUMONT

So there was a sticking point last night, wasn't there, with… with the debate in the House on the stop-and-search powers? You're still very keen to push those through?

COLIN BARNETT

Ah, yes, those… those powers, to give the police in designated areas, for example, Northbridge – the ability to stop someone and search them, and the sort of search we're talking about is not an invasive search. It's basically running a metal detector over, as you would get… when you get on… go through an airport to get on an aircraft. And it would be in designated areas at designated times. I think that is a small price to pay to be confident that if you go into a club or pub in Northbridge that the person next to you hasn't got a knife or some other weapon on their body.

SIMON BEAUMONT

So, do you see…

COLIN BARNETT

So, but a lot of the … I've got to say: a lot of the Labor members were arguing that that was some infringement of our… our personal liberties.

SIMON BEAUMONT

Did you see those operations… that stop-and-search operation at train stations, at bus stations, in the mall, or in… or on the street in Northbridge?

COLIN BARNETT

Well, the way it'll be set up is it would be designated areas. Now Northbridge is an obvious example, but there would also be the ability for the Police Commissioner, with the approval of the Police Minister, to be… for example, do it at a… at a particular event or particular place. So you could pick a sporting event or a concert or whatever.

Or, if there were situations taking place… or, as you say, Simon, on train station along a particular line, then perhaps they could be given powers to act at train stations for a period of time.

SIMON BEAUMONT

Alright. Where's it at at the moment: the debate in the House?

COLIN BARNETT

Ah, well, the debate's been going for a few hours. It will continue on today in the Lower House and then hopefully go to the Upper House, and we're very keen to get that legislation in place for this summer so that the police have got that ability.

What was happening, Simon, was that the police might suspect someone may be carrying a weapon, stop them and search them as they can currently do, and even if they found a weapon – a knife, a machete, or whatever else – often when it went to court the… the person carrying the weapon would get off on a technicality, that their lawyers would argue the police didn't have proper grounds for stopping them and searching them in the first place. Well, I mean that’s a nonsense. You know, what's someone walking around Northbridge with a machete strapped to their back or knives in their pockets?

SIMON BEAUMONT

That is ludicrous.

COLIN BARNETT

So, we'll just clean that up and be able to act on it.

SIMON BEAUMONT

Yeah, alright. Do you have… on Remembrance Day, do you have a family connection with any theatres of war?

COLIN BARNETT

Look, I think most families have some connection. In my own case I grew up in... I was born in 1950, so I grew up in a post war environment. My father was one of the Rats of Tobruk and actually wounded at El Alamein, so had the bullet been a few inches the other way I wouldn’t be here today. My uncle was captured at the fall of Singapore and he was a prisoner on the Burma Railway and then a prisoner of war in Japan, so his survival story was quite remarkable. And I think most families would find some association with the Second World War and also conflicts like Vietnam.

And of course we’ve got troops now in Afghanistan in particular and they’re in a very dangerous situation, and I think everyone on Remembrance Day and Anzac Day remembers those in the past wars and gives a though to those in current conflicts.

SIMON BEAUMONT

What… with what you know of you know of your father and your uncle, would they... would they happy with what they see in Western Australia today?

COLIN BARNETT

Ah, yes they would. They would be proud to see the State advancing and strong. I think they would despair about some of the antisocial behaviour. I mean, I think my father and uncle were probably larrikins in their own day a little bit. But, you know, they'd… there’d never be knives or anything like that involved. And I think they would despair – not so much that occasionally fights might breakout, that tends to happen with young men – but the sort of cowardly act of carrying knives and hitting people from behind, that was not part of the culture and standard of what I’d call the World War Two generation. They had a… they might have got in a few fights around pubs, but there was a sort of standard and ethics. They didn’t kick people when on the ground and I think they would see that as cowardly, a brutality that was not what their generation had.

SIMON BEAUMONT

If you’d like to talk to the Premier today – 922 11 882. I’ll come back and ask you about events in WA in just a moment. Just on that theme of how WA is travelling these days.

Premier, if you could just pop those headphones on for us , thank you.

[Caller]’s phoned in from Waroona. She’s an education assistant. Hi [caller], how are you?

(CALLER)

Hi, I’m pretty cross actually.

COLIN BARNETT

Hi, [caller].

(CALLER)

Hello.

SIMON BEAUMONT

Go ahead, [caller].

(CALLER)

Okay. My question for you Premier is why have 48 education assistants, gardeners and cleaners being targeted to have their pay docked, when thousands of us have been undertaking industrial bans?

And I’d like to know why – when the teachers and the police undertook their industrial action and got a much higher pay rise than your offering us – nothing happened to them?

COLIN BARNETT

Ah, [caller], look… some people may have had their pay docked if they refused to work. In some cases you might get stop-work meetings which are basically, in a sense, almost agreed to and understood, but if people arbitrarily decide they're not going to do their job then they won't get paid.

(CALLER)

This is… that's not what happened.

COLIN BARNETT

Well, I… I don't know the particular instance you…

(CALLER)

I do. I do, and I can tell you I might average five minutes of photocopying a week if I'm lucky, and my entire pay was threatened for that. I regularly work overtime, I sew costumes on the weekend for kids. How… how can you justify stopping my entire pay for five minutes' work?

COLIN BARNETT

Well, [caller], if… if that was the case, that doesn't sound reasonable to me…

(CALLER)

Well, you need to talk to the Department of Education and Training and the Departments of Commerce, because that is exactly the argument we are having with them.

COLIN BARNETT

[Caller], look… I think… you know, your case – if you think you have been unfairly treated – then… then fair enough, that… that should be looked at. But, you know, the Government's made an offer. And… and I agree, it's not… it's not a big wage offer – 2.5 per cent – and I recognise that people working in your… in your career are among the lower paid workers in government employment. But we… we have a very tight financial situation at the moment and that's basically what we're saying across the public service.

It is true when we came into government we did give a significant pay rise to teachers. That was part of our election commitment, which we honoured. But this is a time when wages increases have got to be kept low. And, you know, I… I just would appeal to the union representing you and others, and the workers, to… to not take industrial action. We understand the problem and we're prepared to negotiate and try and reach an agreement.

SIMON BEAUMONT

But [caller] and others have said, Premier, it is a joke that the police went on a go-slow in their campaign, so they didn't work during lunch hours, they… there were certain actions they took similar to what the education assistants, the gardeners and the cleaners have taken. Why should one industrial sector be treated differently to the lowest paid workers? It's not fair.

COLIN BARNETT

Well, I don't… I don't know that that is the case, Simon, and I don't know individual cases, including [caller]'s. But… you know, one example I was aware of where someone just simply refused to do their job – well, if you just simply refuse to do your job, then you're not going to get paid.

SIMON BEAUMONT

Well, I… I… I haven't heard that one, but I've heard of the… of the fellow down at West Busselton who is not raking a sandpit, and now [caller], and other ones the union's going to be talking about. I mean, it can't sit comfortably with you, surely? It's just not fair.

COLIN BARNETT

Well, can I just say, and not… not to pick on that one case, but not raking a sandpit sounds trivial. Talk to young mothers and parents of kids. I mean, sandpits… glass can be in there, sometimes syringes thrown in there, and that's… that's a… that's a serious responsibility to make sure the sandpit is safe for kids.

SIMON BEAUMONT

A lot of these guys, like [caller] and like the fellow at West Busselton, they work above and beyond what is required. They're part of a community, and now you're whacking them over the head with it.

COLIN BARNETT

Ah, no, look we're… we're not doing that and these… these are cases that are largely managed at the individual school or district level. I would appeal to people not to try and take industrial action or stop… refusing to do the… it really doesn't help the issue at all. We recognise there's a dispute and we're happy to continue to try and work with it.

You know, I'd love to be able to say to [caller] and others that we'll give you a nice big pay rise, because I recognise they're not highly paid, but the State simply does not have the money and it's a tight time. That's why – and I know it's only a small thing – that's why I said members of Parliament will have no pay increase this year. Now, we're highly paid compared to [caller] and others, but at least we're trying… we're trying to say there has to be some wage moderation. We've got to keep wage levels in control during a very tough financial time.

SIMON BEAUMONT

Ah, [caller] from Como has phoned in. Thank you, [caller].

(CALLER)

Oh, good morning, Mr Premier. I'm a Liberal Party supporter and I agree with your stance on Sunday trading. I think it should come in and the quick and the sooner the better. Thank you.

COLIN BARNETT

Yeah, thank you, [caller]. I continue to sort of plug on on this issue. I, for the life of me, cannot understand the position that Eric Ripper and the Labor Party are taking. All we've really sought to do is achieve 9 o'clock or even 8 o'clock weeknight trading as a… as a step towards deregulation.

What is interestingly... is that people – and [caller]'s one of them – are coming out strongly arguing for Sunday. Now I didn't have Sunday on my agenda for this term of government, but the situation is becoming very confused and people in Perth – probably up to 70 per cent of them – are getting frustrated, if not angry, that they are being denied the simple right to go and shop when they want to.

[commercial break]

SIMON BEAUMONT

We've just heard from Grant Taylor down at Lathlain Primary School. The parents down there protesting about the… about the trees being cut down have got five minutes to comply to the move-on notices. So it could get a little heated down there.

922 11 882 – if you'd like to speak to the Premier this morning.

Premier, have you been watching the hype around Tiger Woods in Melbourne over the last couple of days?

COLIN BARNETT

Ah, well, I've… I've… yes, I've certainly seen some media reports about it, and he is a superstar and draws a huge crowd and… I mean he's probably going to be seen to be the world's greatest ever golf player, isn't he?

SIMON BEAUMONT

Yeah, he is. Where are our events? Where's our vision? Where… where's our events of this type, Premier? Where's our… where's our Tiger Woods?

COLIN BARNETT

Ah, well, you know, it… it would be great to get Tiger Woods to come here. We did have the Johnny Walker Classic, which was a big golf event…

SIMON BEAUMONT

Yep…

COLIN BARNETT

Look, we've… we've got some good events: The Hopman Cup is a… is a top event; the Red Bull Air Race is popular. One that probably people aren't so much aware of: we had the Australasian Safari, which was mainly promoted as television coverage overseas rather than to the local population: and I've got to say I question that, I think people like motorsport and should be able to see it. And there's more of an approach probably being taken now of trying to build up local events and… and participation events: things like the Rottnest Swim and the Avon Descent and the Busselton Iron Man Competition.

But, look, I… you know, you've got to give it to Melbourne. They are probably the most successful city in the… on the planet for attracting major events. It's part of what Melbourne is…

SIMON BEAUMONT

Yep. And… but… my point is – and I think you know what my point is – is, yeah, all those events are great and we all go to them, but… but this… Ron Walker and Robert Doyle and people in Melbourne 10 years ago – and Kennett as well – pushed for these from the top end of town. They pushed for these events to be here.

Now, resource development and project development, infrastructure development is your thing clearly: you always talk about it and that's terrific. But events attract people to the State and they give us a feeling of… a certain feeling within our community. Look at the hype of Tiger Woods. I don't see that, I don't hear that in WA, Premier.

COLIN BARNETT

Well, no. Look, I… I don't think many sporting events compete with Tiger Woods appearing. We've had international rugby games and… look, not always sport, either. And I know you're not suggesting it, Simon. You know, the London Philharmonic Orchestra played in Perth a few weeks ago: a fantastic event, okay? And we need to be doing events that are in the arts area as well as in the sporting area.

Look, I… I accept that point. I think we probably can do better in events, but the cost of basically contracting for major international events runs into millions and millions of dollars. So we are trying to take this approach of trying to build our own local events. I think one area that probably is not well served is motorsport. And it's… I've got to say, I'm not a motorsport fan, but it's probably the most popular activity and I would like to see us have some sort of major motorsport event.

It was a… it was a pity when we lost Rally Australia. That was lost a few years ago and Rally Australia certainly was a world-scale event, but we lost that. But even that… it was very expensive to maintain…

SIMON BEAUMONT

Have we got… is there enough vision within the bureaucracy? Or… governments come and go, but is there enough vision within our… within our people who… who work on these things on our behalf?

COLIN BARNETT

Look, I think we could do better, to be honest. I really do. I don't have an instant event in mind. I know this philosophy is trying to have a calendar of activity right throughout the year. But we do need, you know, those one or two high profile events and I guess the ones we've got now is probably the Hopman Cup and the Red Bull Air Race.

SIMON BEAUMONT

Will we get World Cup matches in 2018 and '22?

COLIN BARNETT

Ah, I don’t… I think it’s unlikely Australia will get the World Cup in 2018, but I think we’re a real chance for 2022.

SIMON BEAUMONT

Will we have a stadium, Premier?

COLIN BARNETT

Ah, we will have a stadium that will be certainly capable of hosting those matches and perhaps even a semi-final.

SIMON BEAUMONT

Have you spoken to Football directly, personally?

COLIN BARNETT

Ah, yes. They met with myself and Terry Waldron, the Sports Minister, a few weeks ago. I’ve got to say, they… they need to do a bit better job.

There was a meeting in Adelaide last week of all State Premiers and we went around the table looking at our experiences of being approached by the Football Association and collectively we weren’t all that pleased. And that’s why we, as Premiers, have put it to the Commonwealth Government that, look, we’ll support this event, we’ll invest in stadiums, we’ll make sure we’re ready by probably 2022, but we really want to see someone… a professional promotion and co-ordination of this event.

The World Soccer Cup is bigger than the Olympics. Australia is capable of hosting it, but it… there’s huge implications and, you know, to have an adequate stadium at Subiaco will probably be the easy part. There’ll be huge, massive issues about security, accommodation of people and the like. But it… it's…

SIMON BEAUMONT

But you want to see more from Football’s side?

COLIN BARNETT

I… no, I want to see the Commonwealth… the Commonwealth's making this bid and the State Premiers are all saying: “Okay, we’ll take it on trust. We’ll work for what would be a fantastic event for Australia, but we want to see some better co-ordination across the country on this.” And, look… you know, basically what I’m saying is when several States are offered the same event – a semi-final – we know the full truth’s not there.

SIMON BEAUMONT

Yeah, okay, interesting. We’ll watch this space.

If you were Prime Minister, Mr Barnett, what would you do with the ‘Oceanic Viking’?

COLIN BARNETT

Ah, look, no easy solution to this – that’s an obvious thing to say.

It’s now in its fourth week. There are 78 people on the ‘Oceanic Viking’. The ‘Oceanic Viking’ is a Customs ship. The crew of that ship are not equipped to be dealing with asylum seekers. It’s almost at the status of an Australian military ship and basically it’s been taken over by 78 asylums and… in Indonesian waters.

I don’t like this solution but I think Australia has really little option but to take them to Christmas Island, which is not Australian mainland… it doesn’t give them Australian… access to Australian legal systems and the like… to take them to Christmas Island, sort them out, find out who might be genuine asylum seekers, who are not, and deal with it.

And it’s an unpleasant thing to have to do but we’ve got no choice. I don’t think Australia’s doing itself any good at all by having 78 asylum seekers on an Australian quasi-naval boat in Indonesian waters and it’s just going on…

SIMON BEAUMONT

Do… do you communicate…

COLIN BARNETT

We need… we need to deal with it.

SIMON BEAUMONT

Do you communicate that common sense approach to your Federal colleagues? To the Coalition colleagues? Because they’re not saying that.

COLIN BARNETT

No, they're not. Well, look, I've made my comments publicly. I know… I know some people – probably many of your listens – will criticise that point of view. But we're almost letting our immigration policy be dictated to by the Indonesian Government. Well, you know, come on Australia. We've got to take… these… we didn't want them, but we've got them on our boat, we've got to deal with it.

SIMON BEAUMONT

Yeah, alright. Thanks, Premier.

Ah, [caller]'s phoned in from Yangebup. 922 11 882 – we'll try and squeeze in a couple of calls with Mr Barnett.

Hi, [caller].

(CALLER)

Oh, hi. How are you going?

SIMON BEAUMONT

Good thanks.

COLIN BARNETT

Hello, [caller].

(CALLER)

Hello, Mr Barnett.

COLIN BARNETT

Hi.

(CALLER)

I… I just wanted to express to you, with all this strike action that's taken place with the EAs…

COLIN BARNETT

Yeah.

(CALLER)

… I come from Success Primary. These EAs are our backbone of our… of our schools. They… they… I've got high… I've got a high-needs child with a disability and I… we're not taking our children to school today because they're not… not going to be supervised adequately.

I really wanted to express to you the disruption: not only to the parents, but to the children. Have you ever come across a child that doesn't know how to communicate? They don't know how to express their feelings. And by telling… trying to express to a child today: “Sorry, mate, you can't go to school today,” and his reaction is a squeal and a yell and: “I want to bite you, Mum.”

COLIN BARNETT

Yeah, [caller], look I… I'm very sorry to hear that story and… and, you know, for parents like yourself with a child with a, you know, severe disability of some form. But the schools, I think, are opening. They are doing their best and I very much regret that this action has been taking by the teachers' assistants. I understand they are not highly paid, I understand they are legitimately seeking a better deal. But…

(CALLER)

And they deserve it…

COLIN BARNETT

Yeah…

(CALLER)

… they deserve it. They wiped my child's bottom. They deserve a lot more than what they're getting. They are special people to take on this role. I think this is something that your government needs to say: “Wait a second. Would I step into that place and do that?”

COLIN BARNETT

Yeah…

(CALLER)

These people are remarkable. They're my respite. I don't get much respite, school is respite. I need these people.

COLIN BARNETT

I… I… I do understand what you're saying, [caller] and… you know, I… I don't want to see people taking, you know, action that's making you feel you can't take your child to school, and we want to see that our schools stay open. And I don't condone the action being taken, but we… you know, we've made a pay offer. I wish the union would accept that for the moment and let's maybe talk about trying to deal with it.

But, you know, I… I've… there are just limitations on what we can offer at the moment. You know, we've got other issues like St John's Ambulance service and the same. I understand that it has a very personal and direct effect on you and your child, and I'm sorry about that.

SIMON BEAUMONT

Thank you, [caller]. [Caller] from Currambine, good morning.

(CALLER)

Oh, morning, Simon, Premier.

COLIN BARNETT

Hi [caller].

(CALLER)

Premier, I’d like to ask why you can sit on your hands and do nothing while allowing huge rises to public service executives, then come down so tough on the poorly paid who are working to rule at the school...school workers?

COLIN BARNETT

[Caller] I agree with you about some of the pay increases that have gone to as you say executives, often the heads of State-owned business undertakings like the energy utilities and the like. I’m not dodging the issue. But the actual reality is that those increases were under contracts that had been entered into, previously, prior to this Government coming into power.

Now it’s our responsibility that some of those contracts still have some years to run. They included bonuses and special payments according to performance of the utility and the like. And I don’t believe that’s appropriate and I can understand why you and others are quite angry about it. I’m angry about it too.

SIMON BEAUMONT

It’s...obviously there’s a... for a... particularly when it comes to schools, Premier, there’s a lot of emotion in this debate as well, it’s... it’s... you’re talking about money but it's... it's about community isn’t it. It’s about these school communities?

COLIN BARNETT

Yes, it is, and it’s about like [caller] and her I think son. Same sort of situation and I had some parents come to see me in my electoral office. Similar circumstance and that two of their children needing special care and attention and incredible strain on parents and on siblings of the child. You know, I don’t know how they get through it.

But look... you know... despite this, West Australia does a good job and it has for a long time. We do have teachers assistants, we do have support in schools. We have special education schools that I think are probably as good as you would find anywhere in the world.

Incredibly expensive, very labour-intensive, because these kids have huge demands and need one-on-one care of many of them. So, I’m not dodging the issue but I think the community probably should recognise that we do an awful lot as a community.

Now at the moment we’ve got a disagreement about pay. We’ve offered two-and-a-half per cent. They’re saying that’s not enough. I can understand their point of view, but I wish they would accept that and then maybe and not take industrial action, and we try and work out something maybe a bit better for the future.

SIMON BEAUMONT

Alright. Just… thank you.

[Caller] we won’t get you – I’ll try and get you after the ad break. Thank you for calling in.

I wanted to ask you about Dave Caporn. Gary Adshead’s revealed some more about this situation with Dave Caporn today, Premier. Do you suspect that, as I do, that Dave Caporn's job at FESA was a case of jobs for the boys?

COLIN BARNETT

Ah, I don't know that. It was looked at by the Public Sector Standards Commissioner and she made some… some comments which certainly weren't complimentary to FESA. I've got to say I was more surprised than most people when I found that Dave Caporn popped up in FESA. However, the appointment process is independent of Ministers and politicians, as it should be. So that's been looked at and some measures have been taken.

I… a fairly unsatisfactory episode I've got to say.

SIMON BEAUMONT

The Public Sector... what’s the point of having a Public Sector Commissioner, like Ruth Shean, if a lawyer just comes in and slaps a ban on her findings. What she… she writes up that there’s some problems with the appointment, that it smacks of nepotism; a lawyer comes in and says: “You can’t print that, that’s defamatory.”

It seems to be FESA have gone to great lengths to tray and protect the reputation of Jo Harrison-Ward and the reputation of FESA here, Premier?

COLIN BARNETT

Ah… and I was not impressed by FESA going out and getting lawyers and using taxpayers’ money for that purpose.

Look, the role of the Public Sector Standards Commissioner is to evaluate these situations, but also not to act as a judge and jury so much but to pick up comment and to advise the authorities and improve the practice. And I guess that’s what the Commissioner was trying to do, saying that this wasn’t done as correctly as it should have been done and this is the way you should do it in the future. So it’s… it's about improving and having fairness and objectivity in appointments.

But look, yep, there certainly was not… this was not 100 per cent well done.

SIMON BEAUMONT

But the… the objectivity and the… and the assessment of the position has been made by Ruth Shean, and we need that independent person. She makes a makes a ruling, the lawyers come over the top and try to… what’s Jo Harrison-Ward and FESA up to in trying to slap a lawyer’s injunction on this information, that now… now is out in the public realm. You have to wonder how Dave Caporn got that job.

COLIN BARNETT

Well… you know, I… look, his history is well known. I… no doubt he’s got competency in doing the job, but that’s up to the… now what will be… the Public Sector Commissioner, established, which will ultimately take over the responsibilities that Ruth Shean held. We’re bringing that together and, as Premier, I can watch and observe and I set the policy, but the actual handling of any measure, whether it’s an appointment that maybe wasn’t done correctly or if it’s a disciplinary issue, should properly now be left with the Public Sector Commissioner. Otherwise you get politicians, if you like, interfering in the public service and that’s something I’m not about to do. But I share your concerns and I certainly share the concerns of FESA going out and getting lawyers for what is basically an internal public service issue.

SIMON BEAUMONT

Alright, that’s it's commendable that Ruth Shean is independent. It’s a commendable initiative.

What will you say to FESA now and to the Minister for Emergency Services? And what message can be relayed to FESA from your office and from the Minister’s office?

COLIN BARNETT

Well FESA will get some strong guidance, particularly through the Public Sector Commissioner, on the way in which they go about appointments and the processes they follow. I mean, you can expect them to be watched pretty carefully.

SIMON BEAUMONT

Yeah, alright. Premier, thanks for your time today, We appreciate it. I know you’ve got the ceremony at 11 o’clock. I hope that goes well.

COLIN BARNETT

Thank you, Simon.

Ends…

Date: 11/11/2009

Minister: Barnett

Portfolio: Premier

Region: All

Students chosen for 2010 Gallipoli tour

Antartis, Jill — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 01:47:06 GMT

Content:

Twelve Western Australian students will step on to the shores of Turkey’s historic ANZAC Cove next April to reflect on Australian wartime efforts.

On the eve of Remembrance Day, Premier Colin Barnett announced the names of students selected for the 2010 Premier’s ANZAC Student Tour.

From April 5 to 15, 2010, the secondary students would visit historic sites of the Gallipoli campaign, including The Nek and Lone Pine, and commemorate the service of Australian veterans.

Mr Barnett said the students were selected from a shortlist of 25, after hundreds applied through an essay competition.

“The students’ passion for Australian history, particularly the role of WA men and women in creating the ANZAC legacy, is very moving,” he said.

The students prepared essays on the topic ‘War has had a significant impact on the Western Australian community’.

Their research focused on local and family history, as well as women’s involvement in the war effort and action on the home front.

Many students discussed the social and emotional impact of the war, such as post-traumatic stress suffered by returned service men and women.

The final 12 students were selected after they presented speeches and were interviewed by a panel.

The Premier said the students demonstrated a genuine interest in the ANZAC experience, a passion for history and the ability to be outstanding ambassadors for their school, community and WA.

“I believe the tour will be a very emotional experience for the students,” he said.

“Actually being there and walking the ground where the ANZAC troops fought will add significantly to the knowledge they have gained in their classrooms from their teachers.

“This is an amazing learning opportunity and an invaluable chance for personal reflection.”

2010 Premier’s ANZAC student tour participants

Student name	School	Residential suburb
Amy Dickerson	Boddington District High School	Wandering
Aheli Guha	Rossmoyne Senior High School	Rossmoyne
Rhys Hall	Mindarie Senior College	Joondalup
Breanna Hollow	Iona Presentation College	Beeliar
Adam Kovalevs	Ballajura Community College	Ballajura
Celeste Leong	Perth Modern School	Mount Hawthorn
Madeleine Lovelle	Mount Lawley Senior High School	Bayswater
Amber Newton	John Septimus Roe Anglican Community School	Hamersley
Rose Paley	Margaret River Senior High School	Margaret River
Felix Palmer	Kalamunda Senior High School	Darlington
Emma Pridham	Girrawheen Senior High School	Girrawheen
Liam Richer	Kelmscott Senior High School	Jarrahdale

2010 Premier’s ANZAC tour staff

Staff member name	School	Tour role
Rosinda Seara	Hamilton Senior High School	Tour manager
Norman Paini	Morley Senior High School	Assistant tour manager
Alex Roseveare	Kalamunda Senior High School	Supervisor
Christine Suckling	Mindarie Senior College	Supervisor

Premier's office - 9222 9475

Date: 10/11/2009

Minister: Barnett

Portfolio: Premier

Region: All

Peace of mind for Perth beachgoers this summer

Stratford, Pamela — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 01:01:37 GMT

Content:

Midweek aerial shark patrols will continue along Perth’s beaches this summer.

Premier Colin Barnett was pleased to announce that the State Government had allocated an extra $206,000 to the Surf Life Saving Western Australia (SLSWA) Westpac Lifesaver Rescue Helicopter.

This would enable it to patrol every day of the week, dependent on weather conditions, to alert Surf Life Saving volunteers to any potential danger.

The service would operate for an average of three hours a day, every day from December 14 until the end of February next year, covering the area between Mandurah and Yanchep.

“It is important that the community feels safe while swimming and enjoying our beaches, especially during the school holiday period where traditionally high temperatures attract thousands of families to the coast,” Mr Barnett said.

“The service provides peace of mind for our beachgoers, however, it is vital that parents continue to be vigilant when their children are in the water and all beachgoers should take heed of all warnings posted by lifeguards.

“The aerial patrols are an excellent part of SLSWA’s service, but this should not diminish the importance of swimming between the flags in patrolled areas.”

President of Surf Life Saving Western Australia, Mark Irwin, was delighted with the funding partnership between SLSWA and the State Government.

“SLSWA values the partnership it has with the State Government in helping to keep users of our coastline safe. The funds provided to the SLSWA Helicopter Rescue Service is a positive example of how governments and community organisations can develop effective partnerships,” Mr Irwin said.

“After a successful first year of operation, SLS looks forward to continuing the patrols and prevention activity with the helicopter service, where hazards and incidents such as rips, sharks, search and rescue and other medical emergencies can be promptly managed.

“In the first year of operation, 23 sharks were directly sighted by the helicopter when patrolling and it also completed a further 22 searches for sharks where sightings came from members of the public.

“The helicopter provides us with an excellent surveillance and intelligence gathering platform, crewed by trained rescue and emergency care lifesavers, who through the function of a helicopter, can respond to a range of coastal emergencies and incidents.”

The Premier thanked Westpac for its ongoing support of SLSWA and the contribution it made to this important service.

Today’s announcement of extra funding is on top of the $114,000 already provided by the State Government for patrols each weekend and public holiday.

Premier's office - 9222 9475

Date: 8/11/2009

Minister: Barnett

Portfolio: Premier

Region: Western Suburbs;South Western Suburbs

Transcript - Speech - In The Zone conference

Arbouin, Shane — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:20:11 GMT

Content:

Good evening. Can I thank Richard Walley for that Welcome To Country; to Professor Alan Robson, Vice-Chancellor of the university; Michael Chaney, the Chancellor; the Honourable Kim Beazley – and congratulations, Kim, on your appointment to Washington, and I can think of no other Australian better qualified than you in that position; to the Ambassador of China; the Ambassador of Japan; ladies and gentlemen; also to Ben Wyatt, representing the State Opposition.

It's traditional to look at our planet, our globe, from an east-west direction. If you think of Europe, people talked of Western Europe and Eastern Europe. Asia was for so many years, decades, known as the Far East or, from a British context, East of Aden. And, indeed, even to the midpoint of the last century, as economic power, military power and political influence is shifted across the Atlantic from Europe to America. And there is no doubt, and as Professor Robson said, this century it's been the century of Asia. Again, a shift of influence in a relative sense from the Americas, back across the Pacific this time, to Asia.

Japan has always been for a long time a first-world nation, now joined by the rapidly growing, emerging countries of China, with India not far behind. And the emergence of China and India is no doubt the economic phenomenon of this century.

I congratulate the university of thinking of the globe not only in an east-west sense, but to look north-to-south: a vertical rather than a horizontal view of our planet. And looking north-to-south, we find that in this particular timezone – Greenwich Mean Time plus 8 hours – includes not only 60 per cent of the world's population, some 4 billion people, but is very much the dynamic part of the world economy for this century.

Profound changes: economic, trade, political evolution, and the emergence of great city states – Tokyo, Seoul, Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong, Singapore, Jakarta and others. A greater move towards urbanisation, a great cultural and social change taking place within that region. And here we are in Australia – on the southern tip of an area identified not simply by its geography, but by its time. A different concept and a different way of thinking of coming together.

And Australia is somewhat an anomaly basically is a largely European nation in terms of its population, its heritage, its political system and its institutions. And yet we know that our economic future through this century is so much tied in to Asia. And we're all… we also know that our proximity to Asia in every sense means that what happens in Asia and, indeed, issues or problems even of Asia are now ours. We have no choice. Whether it be the tsunami, where Australia played a very good, positive humanitarian role; whether it be issues of a pandemic, of global warming, of perhaps sea rises that could affect countries dramatically – just look at places like Bangladesh. Whether it be asylum seekers, a current topic. Whatever happens in Asia, in our time zone, in our region, is now an issue for us.

For Western Australia, we have always been more conscious of our proximity to Asia than perhaps the rest of Australia. In the post-war years – the 1950s and '60s – Australia welcomed young people from South-East Asia. It was part of our way of saying thank you for the assistance that they gave us during the years of the Second World War. And thousands of students came from all sorts of backgrounds and studied in Australia. Many of them, a high proportion, studied here on this campus at the University of Western Australia. In my humble observation probably one of Australia's best ever foreign policies.

And for Western Australians there's always been a sense of looking over the horizon towards Asia, rather than looking over the desert, over the Nullarbor, towards Canberra or Sydney. We have naturally felt that, and been conscious of that. In the 1960s, an exotic holiday for Western Australians would be to get on the Centaur and go to Singapore. And then West Australians discovered Bali, and the locations of Thailand, Malaysia, and increasingly have spread out in their experience of Asia.

Today, approximately eight per cent of our population are Asian. Australia hasn't quite come to grips with how we fit in or whether we do fit in. But in Western Australia we are certainly more advanced in that development as to the rest of the country.

The economic ties, obviously, will be a major feature at this conference. And Western Australia has a quite spectacular history in the way in which it has grown. Our periods of very rapid economic growth: the gold boom of the 1890s saw population growth, including people from Asia and, indeed, all over the world. The period of economic development that connected us to the rest of Australia. Physical connections through the preceding overland telegraph, then the rail line, and even then political union through Federation.

In the 1960s we saw the next great wave of economic development, this time associated with the post-war reconstruction of Japan and the development of Japan's industry and the demand for natural materials, particularly iron ore, from Western Australia. And, indeed, forging a relationship between Japan and Australia was, in every sense, led through the relationship between Japan and Western Australia. Japan has continued to be a wonderful friend of this State and this nation for the last 50 years.

We now see a third period of development: perhaps one identified by energy, and particularly natural gas, both in the export of natural gas to not only Japan, but the rapidly emerging economies of China, India and other countries in the South-East Asian area. And also the use of energy to hopefully do more with our natural resources so, in partnership with countries to our north, we do more than simply mine – we add value and we process.

The next stage: the evolution of our economy to a maturity, taking place now, and with it an evolution of development of a true economic partnership with our friends to the north. That we are simply not an exporter of raw materials, but we welcome investment – as we did from Japan – as we do today from China, India and other countries in the region.

There's a great opportunity and this conference in many ways encapsulates that opportunity.

Can I welcome all who have come to this conference, particularly those who have come from countries to our north, but also to the many other delegates and speakers from elsewhere in Australia. It is an important conference and I hope it is the first of what will be an ongoing tradition of us looking at the planet in a vertical sense, north-to-south in the zone. And we are fortunate in Western Australia that we are the one part of Australia that is truly in that time zone.

To those who are visitors to Western Australia: I hope you enjoy your stay. I hope you enjoy Perth. I hope you enjoy the opportunity to travel elsewhere in this State. And it would be remiss of me if I didn't make the comment that Perth was recently voted the 5th most liveable city in the world.

[laughter]

And for those of you who watch documentaries, perhaps more significantly, Lonely Planet a few weeks ago identified the South West of Western Australia as one of the top 10 environmentally… eco-tourism locations in the world.

So I hope you do have the opportunity not only to enjoy the discussion, the debate, the interchange of ideas through this conference; and it is a varied conference: the representatives, the topics relating to government and governance and to the environment.

[applause]

Ends…

Date: 8/11/2009

Minister: Barnett

Portfolio: Premier

Region: All

New lithium mine to benefit families in Ravensthorpe.

Antartis, Jill — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:45:34 GMT

Content:

Premier Colin Barnett has marked the start of works on a new lithium mine two kilometres north of Ravensthorpe which will provide a boost to the town’s families and businesses.

Mr Barnett said the new mine was good news for Ravensthorpe and surrounding communities and, more broadly, for Western Australia.

The Galaxy Resources Limited Mt Cattlin mine will start operation by the end of 2010 with a production target of 137,000 tonnes of lithium concentrate per annum over the minimum 15-year life of the mine. The ore will be exported to China for processing into long-life lithium batteries for use in hybrid and electric vehicles.

“As the company is committed to a residential workforce, the new project will provide jobs for displaced mining workers in the region, employing up to 100 people during construction and 75 when operational,” the Premier said.

“While dealt a hard blow earlier in the year by BHP Billiton’s closure of its Ravensthorpe nickel operations, this new lithium mine shows there is a bright future for the region.

“Earlier this year, the Liberal-National Government reacted swiftly to protect and support the local community after BHP Billiton’s announcement.

“The State Government allocated funding to the shire for local infrastructure and assistance for small businesses; in-principle support for the construction of the Hopetoun-Bremer Bay Road and maintenance of State health and education services in the area.

“I am pleased that the Government has worked efficiently and dealt with works approval for this new mine within agreed time frames so this can go ahead as soon as possible for the benefit of the community.

“WA is the world’s leading mining economy and the expansion of our presence in the mining of new minerals like lithium broadens that strength.

“Lithium is a strategic metal for the 21st century and will underpin emerging technologies, such as providing batteries that can charge faster and longer, helping to reduce the 20 per cent greenhouse emissions generated by transport.”

Ore from the new mine will be crushed, screened and washed onsite to produce a higher grade, inert ore with an appearance similar to gravel. This will then be exported in bulk through Esperance Port.

By 2010, Galaxy Resources’ Mt Cattlin mine will potentially be the world’s second largest hard rock producer of lithium and will proceed with value adding through a lithium carbonate plant near end users in China.

Premier's office - 9222 9475

Date: 6/11/2009

Minister: Barnett

Portfolio: Premier

Region: Goldfields/Esperance

Work set to start on new tourist road for the Fitzgerald River National Park

Antartis, Jill — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 04:49:42 GMT

Content:

The State Government will start work on a new road to improve access to tourist sites in the Fitzgerald River National Park by the end of January next year

The State Government has committed $20million to the project, with a request for matched funding from the Federal Government, to help deliver the significant project, improving tourist access from the western and eastern ends to the Fitzgerald River National Park.

Premier Colin Barnett made the announcement today in Ravensthorpe.

The State’s $20million will cover the full length of the road from Hopetoun to Hamersley Inlet and associated car-parks, day visit facility upgrades (lookouts, barbecues, shelters and walkways) and camping facilities at Hamersley Inlet.

A tourist walk trail will also be developed as part of the project.

Construction is planned to start in January from the Hamersley Inlet section commencing at the end of the currently sealed track. It is intended that at least five kilometres of road will be built this summer, dependent on the length of the dry season.

The project includes the reconstruction and sealing of existing roads including Hamersley Drive (from Hopetoun to Hamersley Inlet) and Bremer Bay to Point Ann - which will proceed when Federal funding is confirmed. Works will be undertaken by Main Roads directly engaging local contractors.

Construction along the route from Hopetoun to Hamersley Inlet and all end point facilities is expected to be completed by mid-2011.

Mr Barnett said the sealed road would be a boost to the region’s tourism industry and benefit communities that had been badly affected by the economic slowdown.

“In the wake of BHP Billiton’s decision in January to close its Ravensthorpe nickel operations, the Liberal-National Government stepped in to support the community with a protection package for local services like health and education and to provide grant assistance to local businesses,” the Premier said.

“As well as this, we pledged to improve access from the western and eastern ends to tourists sites in the Fitzgerald River National Park. The State Government is delivering on that commitment to the benefit of families and businesses in the region.”

Tourism Minister Elizabeth Constable said the road would increase the tourist appeal of areas previously difficult to reach.

“One of the limiting factors to the popularity of Hopetoun as a tourist destination is the lack of road access to the Fitzgerald River National Park,” Dr Constable said.

“This project will go a long way to encouraging the expansion of the tourism industry in Hopetoun.”

Environment Minister Donna Faragher said the proposed road works, which had received Federal environmental approval, would eliminate the need for people to use tracks which were disturbing the biodiversity of the area.

“The park has a high concentration of flora and fauna, many of which are threatened species and as well as avoiding disturbance to the area’s biodiversity, controlled access to the Park may also help in managing dieback,” Mrs Faragher said.

Premier's office - 9222 9475

Date: 6/11/2009

Minister: Barnett

Portfolio: Premier

Region: Great Southern;Goldfields/Esperance

Transcript - 720 ABC Mornings with Geoff Hutchison

Antartis, Jill — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 03:19:53 GMT

Content:

GEOFF HUTCHINSON

We spoke to a policeman just a few moments ago following on from a...dreadful murder and a dreadful court case involving a woman named Darlene Nielsen and the man who attacked her was sentenced to life with a minimum of 26 years before parole.

But I just wonder, this man breeched his violence restraining order 17 times. Regularly on talkback radio over the years we’ve heard these kinds of stories and I wonder whether it is another area that the Attorney-General might consider looking at the effectiveness of the violence restraining orders at all?

COLIN BARNETT

That was a shocking case – a brutal murder, and I think 17 breeches, whatever the number was – unacceptable. The Attorney-General, Christian Porter is looking at Violence Restraining Orders both the way in which they are applied and the enforcement of them now. Uh clearly what happened there was a massive failure. Now I can’t pre-judge what he’s going to come up with, I mean it’s a technique and as I think someone maybe the policeman you were talking to said it’s not a physical restriction on a person, it’s a legal one but i think out of the that case and others like it we need to have perhaps greater enforcement if people breech it. Maybe they’ve got to be charged...

GEOFF HUTCHINSON

To make it a more effective tool than it is at the moment.

COLIN BARNETT

Yeah.

GEOFF HUTCHINSON

Um...Newspoll, Premier suggests the Liberals are back in the game and it seems Government policy on asylum seekers is not very popular. I asked Malcolm Turnbull earlier what he would do if he was in charge of the Oceanic Viking situation and what his policy would be and he wouldn’t tell me, because he didn’t want to announce it. What would you do if you were looking after the Oceanic Viking at present?

COLIN BARNETT

Well, I guess I’d say the same things to the extent I don’t have all the facts so it’s easy to be the one side and gratuitous advice. This is now in its third week, 78 Sri Lankans on the boat. The Oceanic Viking is an Australian Customs ship so whether we like it or not – and we probably don’t like it – they are basically under out protection; they are our problem.

I think if this cannot be resolved in the next couple of days, and by resolved I mean they willing return on to land in Indonesia then I believe the Australian Government has no option but to take them to Christmas Island and process them properly.

GEOFF HUTCHINSON

Yeah. Now the Opposition will then criticise the Government, saying you have again gone the easy option, you’ve signalled that you can protest and complain and threaten to throw yourself in the sea and the Australian Government will eventually renege and take you to Christmas Island. But is that the only reasonable option?

COLIN BARNETT

Well this is a fairly unique situation they were basically rescued from as I recall a sinking boat. But they are on an Australian ship – an Australian Government ship – and now we have to deal with them. Some of them no doubt are genuine refugees and asylum seekers, maybe they all aren’t. I don’t think we’ve got a choice.

It’s not a problem anyone would like to have but now they’re on the ship I think we have to take them to Christmas Island. That does not bring them onto the mainland and doesn’t give them rights under Australian law. But at least then we can determine the case of each individual.

GEOFF HUTCHINSON

Is there an acknowledgement from you that this is… it’s hard to control because we don’t know what the next day will bring. We’ve got a boat off the West Australian coast near the Cocos Island, many people have drowned. We have aeroplanes scouring those waters for survivors and yesterday we even heard people saying how shall we deal with them. I guess the first thing you do is try and save them from drowning. It’s political, but it’s also about issues of humanity and compassion.

COLIN BARNETT

Yes, and we are a first world nation and we have high standards. When you say Geoff ‘off the West Australian coast’ it is worth just looking at a map. Cocos Island is....

GEOFF HUTCHINSON

Sure, it’s a long way.

COLIN BARNETT

It’s really off the Indonesian coast...it is far closer to Java than it is to West Australia or Australia. However, that’s an area that Australia takes on responsibility for.

GEOFF HUTCHINSON

Should we take comfort then, apply that to Christmas Island as well as Christmas Island is far closer to Indonesia than it is the Australian coastline?

COLIN BARNETT

It is, so taking people to Christmas Island is a long way off bringing them to the Australian mainland.

[ABC Phone numbers and time call]

….

GEOFF HUTCHINSON

The oil rig continues to burn off our coast, all be it a fair way off our coast. It continues to leak and no end in sight. It’s a disaster on many levels but in what way do you say it’s damaged our international reputation? How, what has it shown the world?

COLIN BARNETT

Well first, simply because it has happened um.... and mainly because of the isolation its taken a long time to fix and of course it’s not fixed yet, and during that process of trying to close off the well we’ve now got this massive, uncontrolled fireball on top of the rig which must be weakening the integrity of the whole rig structure itself which will pose another problem if that collapses.

Um... it ah, any incident – this is a world scale failing, no doubt about this is world news, so it will cast doubt about the operators of the drilling rig initially, it will also raise questions about the supervision and the regulatory framework around that. And in particular when the initial hole was drilled, was it properly plugged. This should not have happened.

GEOFF HUTCHINSON

Have you or your ministers spoken with the management of PTTEP Australasia?

COLIN BARNETT

Ah I haven’t directly, but they have kept my office informed of developments and they go along. Look I think that after this incident occurred I have no criticism. I think they have done all that is possible and continue to do so. But, you know, there are various bright suggestions as to what they should do.

This is an extraordinarily dangerous situation and uh, the safety of people working out there has to be the first consideration. Hopefully today they may have success.

GEOFF HUTCHINSON

So are you as a State Government doing anything more here than the rest of us, just watching and waiting and hoping?

COLIN BARNETT

Ah, well we are taking precautionary measures. We have um... officers on Ashmore Reef making sure, monitoring the environment there. We also have a… emergency groups on readiness in Broome if any oil does come toward the West Australian coast that we can act quickly. And all of our technical expertises is available if required. Again Geoff, and I think everyone realises this now, this is in Commonwealth-Northern Territory waters. We have no jurisdiction over it at all.

GEOFF HUTCHINSON

Yep, there’s also uh.. no one, and I know early on you understood very quickly the technical difficulties associated here. No one imagined that two and a half months in we would see a situation that if anything has deteriorated from those… that initial period. Is the legacy of this going to be there is a public perception that everyone acted slowly? Everyone acted… help was offered early, it was not taken. Much of this has been kept quite secretive...?

COLIN BARNETT

Look, I....

GEOFF HUTCHINSON

Does the public deserve to be better informed?

COLIN BARNETT

I don’t know that it was slow. The rig that was needed to drill had to be one that could be absolutely stable in the water, you can’t have it bobbing around in the waves. And just if you think about it, to drill 2.6 kilometres beneath the ocean bed to intercept a hole which is the diameter of a bread and butter plate is an extraordinarily demanding task.

So if the rig on which the drill is located is moving around, even slight movements, you’re going to miss it. So they had to get a rig that could be stationed and locked on to the sea floor. And that took, you know, six or seven weeks to come from Singapore, so that delay was always going to be there. I guess the unforseen and now disaster is the explosion. What caused that, we need to know that at some stage.

GEOFF HUTCHINSON

Is it appropriate that you stand on the sidelines? Why isn’t perhaps your Energy Minister and you, why aren’t you in close contact with this company?

COLIN BARNETT

Oh, we are, no no as I say I haven’t spoken to them, they do keep my office informed every day with what is going on. There’s been daily conversations basically taking place. We’re also in close contact with the federal agency that’s got responsibility for this. But look it is not in our waters it is not off our coast, so most of our effort has been on ensuring we can protect the West Australian coast line if the oil comes towards us.

GEOFF HUTCHINSON

This is [caller], good morning.

[CALLER]

Good morning Premier. My questions is, what do you think would happen if that happened off the Ningaloo coast? There’s enough rigs sitting out there that um, you know, this sort of thing is bound to happen.

COLIN BARNETT

[Caller], if this had happened at Ningaloo or indeed anywhere along our coast line, close in, or if the um tidal or wind conditions had brought the slick to our coast we would have had a major environmental disaster on our hands, no doubt about it.

[CALLER]

But I mean what are you looking at to make sure it doesn’t happen?

COLIN BARNETT

Well, out of any disaster like this, something will be learnt. The industry in Western Australia has an exceptionally good record. Probably the exception would be, only a year ago, the explosion on Varanus Island. That was onshore, didn’t threaten the marine environment directly, and I think it will make all of us have a rethink. For example, there’s been proposals recently to have floating LNG plants. Well, you know, I guess I sort of wonder, imagine what would happen if one of those went up. We’d have a major problem again.

So, there’s also a proposal to have a sub-sea pipeline of 800 kilometres from the Browse Basin, off our northern coast, to Darwin. I think you’ve got to question the safety of that too.

[CALLER]

But I mean, it’s well and good to question it, but what are your proposals to put in to guarantee it doesn’t happen?

COLIN BARNETT

Well [caller], I’ve got confidence in the inspectorial and a regulatory regime that apply in the Western Australian offshore petroleum industry. And that has been successful because we use both Commonwealth and State expertise.

This situation has been basically Commonwealth alone. Now I’m not pointing the finger at the Commonwealth, I just don’t think we had, maybe, the level of supervision in the waters off the Northern Territory that you do have in the waters off our coast over which we have a joint control.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

[Caller], thank you for your call.

On the subject of violence restraining orders, I had an interim VRO granted by Justice of Peace and it wasn’t served until seven days later. The guy lived at the end of the street. I feel more seriousness is needed with VROs.

[Caller], you want to talk about that subject. [greetings not transcribed]

[CALLER]

Perhaps...there’s obviously a correlation between the number of times that people break these and it’s historically, you can look back, at the violence levels.

Could we not actually make them more like a parole system where, set a level, at say if you break it five times, then basically there’s a sentence involved and if you break it more than you can actually...in other words make it a prison sentence so it’s actually not just enforceable, but has some direct impact on the person that’s breaking the orders?

COLIN BARNETT

[Caller], I think that’s a good suggestion and some similar thoughts were going through my mind when I was listening to the account of Doleen....Doreen Nielsen, I just got the name wrong.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

Danielle.

COLIN BARNETT

Danielle, oh sorry.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

Darlene, I mean.

COLIN BARNETT

Yeah, okay, unusual name, but tragic case. I think something along those lines certainly has got merit, and as I said to Geoff, a moment ago, Christian Porter is having a review, looking into the way in which they’d issued and administered and maybe what you’re suggesting is part of a solution.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

[Caller], thank you. We had a forum about Northbridge last Thursday, with Lisa Scaffidi, the Lord Mayor of Perth, Bradley Woods from the Hotels Association and [Caller] from the Nightclubs Association.

[Caller] has rung in with a question.

[greetings not transcribed]

….

[CALLER]

In April the police commissioner released a report dealing with Northbridge and the alcohol associated problems in there. In that report he clearly identified that 80 per cent of the problems, alcohol related problems, in Northbridge are occurring before 3.00am. The police commissioner made some very clear recommendations to do with trading restrictions.

My question is why have you disregarded the police commissioner’s evidence and recommendations and now come out with a policy that only imposes trading restrictions on nightclubs and only after the peak time when any alcohol related incidents are occurring?

COLIN BARNETT

Well [caller], first can I say the police commissioner has been fully involved in what we came out with two weeks ago. Now we have imposed restrictions on nightclubs, some are complying. I suggest all of them will and should comply. We’re also looking at some restrictions on the special licence facilities.

There is no doubt excessive consumption of alcohol is a major cause of the antisocial, violence and injuries that take place in Northbridge. So those measures are being progressively put in place and we hope to have them all operational by the beginning of December.

[CALLER]

Yes, but Premier, 11.00pm to 3.00am was identified by the police commissioner, in his report, as the time two thirds of all alcohol related incidents are occurring. This also coincides with extended trading for hotels between 12 and two and, you know, the Police have been saying for a long time that the 2.00am closing for hotels in Northbridge is a big problem.

Again, this...the restrictions that you have recommended that we comply to voluntarily, are disregarding 80 per cent of the problems, because only 20 per cent of the alcohol related incidents are occurring after 3.00am. So any restrictions after that time can only address a very small amount, 20 per cent of the entire problem.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

Essentially [caller] is saying you’re punishing the nightclubs and the Hotels Association have got off easy.

COLIN BARNETT

No, and look, we’re putting restrictions on nightclubs, in terms of trading hours, and also lockouts, the same on special licence facilities and if we need to act on the hotels, we will.

[Caller], don’t fight this mate. Get onboard and play a constructive role in improving Northbridge.

[CALLER]

Mr Premier, I was the first licensee to stand up when lockouts... when a lockout trial was first mooted two years ago, and say, I’m willing to have these conditions voluntarily if everyone else co-operates.

When trading restrictions first came...were introd...were mentioned six months ago, again, I was the first licensee to stand up and say: I will voluntarily close my premises at 5.00am, as long as everyone comes back an hour. Everyone, every licensee in the area, if there is a problem, every licensee, just by the fact of selling alcohol, is contributing somewhat to the problem.

Your policy only targets a very small number of licensees and why are the hotels always the last cab off the rank?

COLIN BARNETT

Well, you’re implying some favoured treatment for hotels, that is not the case, and I’m also trying to balance the lifestyle of particularly young people. You know, I don’t want to be able to say to people, you can’t go out at night and enjoy yourselves, so we’re trying to get that right.

This is the first step in restricting hours. If it doesn’t work, or is insufficient, then we will take further restrictions which will extend across into the hours of the hotel trade.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

[Caller], thank you for your call.

[time and phone number not transcribed]

….

Eddie Withnell in the paper today saying that he’s five year nightclub ban is like a life sentence. Do you have any sympathy for Mr Withnell, who says he was targeted by the Liquor Commission?

COLIN BARNETT

No I don’t. Simple as that. I don’t. He has a colourful, chequered history and he’s been associated with a lot of mischief and misconduct in the area, so he’s been banned for five years. Good result.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

[Caller], good morning.

[greetings not transcribed]

….

[CALLER]

My first question and I’ll be… I’ve been asked to be brief and I will be as brief as I can.

Mr Premier, as far as daylight saving’s concerned, I think it’s fair to say that you’re a proponent of it. Is that correct?

COLIN BARNETT

Look, personally I don’t like it, but I did vote for it, but look I think that issue’s gone, hasn’t it?

[CALLER]

Well, no I don’t think it has… it’s a secondary question I’ve got, but the thing is you are a… if you voted ‘yes’ for it you are a proponent of it, in a sense.

COLIN BARNETT

Well, yep.

[CALLER]

Is that a fair comment?

COLIN BARNETT

Well I voted ‘yes’… I got to say…. I voted ‘yes’ because I think a lot of the young families wanted it and I voted for them. Personally I don’t like it.

[CALLER]

Right. Well why didn’t you put in legislation that, you know, that had happened?

GEOFF HUTCHISON

[Caller], can we move past daylight saving?

[CALLER]

Well… well, Geoff, the question I have is, I have a second clanger here, obviously you’re not going to answer that, but a second question I’ve got is, we’re talking about late night shopping. I mean, is the reason why the Premier didn’t take on daylight saving was because there was a vote on...there was a substantial ‘no’ vote? And that being the case, there was a substantial ‘no’ vote for late night shopping. Do you understand where I’m coming from?

COLIN BARNETT

Yeah I do. Look, you won’t agree with me, I guess, but daylight saving is a lifestyle issue. It had been to referendum before. I… you know, and another referendum was held and I think it was a convincing result.

The so-called referendum on shopping hours, I think, was a farce. It was a confused question, it was manipulated, and in any case time has moved on. I’ve got no doubt that an overwhelming proportion of Perth residents, particularly people in their 20s, 30s and 40s, strongly want the right to go shopping and, [caller], if you don’t want to go shopping at night, don’t. Stay home.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

And, can…and…you confirm, today, that the shops will be open from January the 1^st in North Perth, South Perth, West Perth, Mount Lawley, Subiaco, Vic Park, all those councillors, and all those councils, said: yes, we want to hop on board?

COLIN BARNETT

Well, Troy Buswell’s still talking to the councils. I’ve spoken to a couple of them, and they are in favour, but…you know, I’m not…that may not be ex..the exact boundary, but I hope that we would have an expanded central city tourism precinct, that’s what it’s called at the moment…

GEOFF HUTCHISON

Yep.

COLIN BARNETT

…and give more choice. But, Geoff, this is very much my second best option. I would much prefer the Labor Party to…to join the 21^st Century, and support 9, or even 8 o’clock weeknight trading across all of Perth so it’s fair to every retailer and every consumer.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

If that doesn’t happen…so you…you achieve this through regulation and through the Councils will you then look at other areas, like…like Midland and Armadale and Joondalup, so is there…is there…I know Brendon Grylls calls it stealth, but there is a policy direction that you will…you can say to the people who live in those places, you know, we intend to extend your trading hours there soon?

COLIN BARNETT

Well, we…we gave a commitment four, five months ago to extend tourism precincts to Joondalup, so that’s about to happen. And since then, both Midland and Armadale have formally approached the Government wanting that status. That may not happen in this first round, but we’ll certainly look at that, and look at it favourably. And, Geoff, can I just say…and…it’s not stealth, this is exactly the same process that gave extended trading hours to 40 country towns.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

Is…has Alan Carpenter scheduled a meeting with you yet, on behalf of Wesfarmers?

COLIN BARNETT

No, he hasn’t, and I doubt that he’ll rush to do that. But, look, I wish Alan and his family well. You know, we were political rivals. If he ever needs to deal with me, we will simply deal with each other, I’m sure, on a…a professional basis.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

This is [caller].

[greetings not transcribed]

….

[CALLER]

I’m an owner/driver, and I’m just ringing regarding the Owner/Driver Contracts and Disputes Act of 2007, which was passed back… around 2007. Part of it was enacted in August ’08, and the second part was supposed to be enacted in February ’09. I’ve…I agree, you know, that with the election and everything, that was delayed a bit, but it seems to have…nothing seems to be happening on the second part, which is most important, you know, for owner/drivers, on their…their safety and pay rates and, sort of, conditions and everything. I’m just wondering if you know anything about when the second, sort of, part of the legislation will be enacted?

COLIN BARNETT

[Caller], I can’t answer that off the top of my head, but if you can leave your contact details I will follow up, and let you know exactly where that’s at.

GEOFF HUTCHISON

[Caller], we’ll…we’ll pass those things on. Thank you very much.

[Caller], good morning.

[CALLER]

Ahm, good morning Geoff, good morning Mr Premier.

COLIN BARNETT

Hi [caller].

[CALLER]

Um... now I tuned in fairly late, so I’m not too sure what has been said about the late night trading issue. I realise that there are valid arguments to and for... to and against. My concern is that the major retailers, being Woolworths and Coles, will be the ones who will mostly benefit from that late night trading and they are the ones who promote increasingly their home brands at the cost of the many truly excellent small suppliers who are battling to keep going.

And I think this is really very regrettable. It’s well documented, it’s well recognised now that that’s the way it goes, because the shareholder has to be covered first of all.

GEOFF HUTCHINSON

[Caller], thanks.

COLIN BARNETT

[Caller], you know, that’s an argument and a lot of people will argue that and there’s certainly some truth to it. But the competitors, the IGAs are not small businesses any more, it’s a large international group. Now I don’t think you help local products or choice by restricting trading hours and the evidence from the other states is that I don’t think you’ll see that sort of fear that you’ve got becoming reality.

And my concern is for the consumer. The retailers can battle it out among themselves but we really should be focusing on choice for Perth residents.

GEOFF HUTCHINSON

Premier, a couple of thing to get to before 9.30, how is it that the Education Department can justify big salary increases for senior executives at a time the lowest paid – the school gardeners and the cleaners – are being strangled over a pay claim? And how can it be that a gardener who decides he won’t rake a sand pit now has his pay stopped?

COLIN BARNETT

Well, first... the salaries pay, I guess, for senior executives in the Education Department is the result of a process. Having said that, I’ve got to say I’m somewhat irritated that the senior people are getting a big pay rise when we are calling and implementing low wage increases across the public service, including zero increase for Members of Parliament. So we’re trying to set an example in this case it’s contradicted.

With respect to cleaners/teacher assistants, I recognise they are lower paid than most workers in the public sector. If people refuse to do their jobs they won’t be paid.

GEOFF HUTCHINSON

One aspect of their job that they refuse to do it as protest about their pay rates. Bad luck, you reckon?

COLIN BARNETT

Well it may sound harsh but I don’t think people can pick and choose what part of their job... they’ve got proper avenues through the union to make claims and we are negotiating, we’ve made an offer. That’s been rejected so I guess we go on negotiating. So, I don’t think that individual protest is a good idea and raking sandpits, that can be pretty important in schools, to actually rake and make sure the sand pit is safe.

GEOFF HUTCHINSON

You’ve talked a lot about the faults of the previous Government, its reliance on spin and media. Troy Buswell wanted to slash millions and millions of dollars from that part of the propaganda machine. Last week Parliament said that you had 430 working in that area.

COLIN BARNETT

Yeah look, it’s wrong and look we’ve cut so far about $30 million off advertising, I’ve got half – I’ve got two press secretaries, Alan Carpenter had four..

GEOFF HUTCHINSON

But across the board...

COLIN BARNETT

No, no…

GEOFF HUTCHINSON

It’s like you talk tough on these things and then, then the result comes out and it’s exactly the same, or even greater.

COLIN BARNETT

Look I think it’s a case of apples and oranges here. A lot of what were counted in those figures were support staff, clerical, receptionists and all sorts of things. Having said that, having said that Geoff I concede the point and if I look at some of the major agencies such as you know, Police where there is a lot of news content, health and others, I am amazed to find out how many media personnel and public relations people they have employed.

So, we will cont… we’ve taken… if there’s any fat we’ve taken it out of the political side of government. That’s lean and mean. We’ve cut back on advertising – you don’t see, um, sort of taxpayer funded spin advertisements in The West Australian or on television. They have stopped and that saved $30 million.

GEOFF HUTCHINSON

Is that because you haven’t done much?

COLIN BARNETT

No because we’re not that sort of Government, Geoff, to be honest. We just don’t do that. I’m not running ads saying how wonderful we are. The people will decide whether we’re any good or not. And in the bureaucracy I think there are too many public relations units and we are gradually working our way through that.

GEOFF HUTCHINSON

Our last caller today is [caller], hello [caller].

[CALLER]

G’day Geoff. How you going there Mr Premier?

COLIN BARNETT

G’day [caller].

[CALLER]

Colin and Geoff my point is there’s been a bit of stuff in the media about the violence in the northern suburbs of Perth. The kids, people are scared to use the trains and stuff. Um... I’ve got one daughter that’s at Murdoch Uni and another that wants to go in a year or two and I am very worried about the safety down there, just from these little hoodlums and I just want to know when something is going to be done about them.

And stop wasting money and chasing the bikies around and do something about some of the bloody youths of Perth.

COLIN BARNETT

There are some problems and there’s also some ethnically based gangs that you might or might not be referring to. Um...we are doing a lot. Stop and search powers for police will be important.

A thing called a prohibited behaviour order which for example could be used to ban them from public transport, plus yesterday we announced progress on substantial increases in extra security on the buses. So, people should be able to get on our public transport system on the busses and the trains and feel safe. And regrettably [caller] I agree with you, many people, particularly students, young women, elderly people do not feel safe on out public transport system.

GEOFF HUTCHINSON

[Caller], thank you for your call.

Premier, thank you for your time today and I hope Roman Emperor gets up.

COLIN BARNETT

So do I, Geoff. Thank you.

Ends…

Date: 3/11/2009

Minister: Barnett

Portfolio: Premier

Region: All